Cooking is a skill that everyone should at least know the basics of, especially if you have a hungry family to feed. The benefits of cooking well can translate into other aspects of your life, including nutritional health, social skills, and financial advantages. This article provides you with a whole world of tips on cooking.
Sauteing vegetables in a bit of broth is a healthy cooking method. Broth will flavor the vegetables, and less oil will be needed to saute them. This technique is a tasty way to cook healthier while not skimping on flavor.
When you are making a salad to take somewhere or just making one ahead of time, make it in layers. Put heavier, juicier ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom and lighter ingredients like lettuce and croutons on top.
To make your French fries crisper, try leaving the raw potatoes in some cold water for half an hour before you fry them. Vegetables fibers can breakdown under high heat conditions. Soaking reinforces these fibers to produce better results.
Save time and stress with night-before preparation of ingredients whenever possible. You can chop and prepare meats and vegetables for fajitas or refrigerate a casserole the night before. When you get home tired and weary, you can pop a great meal in the oven and still make your family happy!
If you are looking to lose weight and keep a healthy diet, it is very important you use less oil when cooking. Oil and butter provide a lot of un-needed fat. A smart alternative is to switch to a nonstick cooking spray, it gives similar results with less of the unhealthy ingredients.
When you need to measure foods that are sticky, use a bit of cooking oil. Just coat your measuring spoon with an oil that has a very mild flavor (Canola is a good option). When you use that spoon to pick up the sticky substance, it will slip off the spoon, and into your mixing bowl, with ease. Peanut butter and honey can be measured this way as well.
Always keep a set of sharp knives in your kitchen. Blunt knives are frustrating to use and they can also be very hazardous. You could easily cut yourself if you are trying to cut something up with a dull knife.
Dried and frozen ingredients should never be used over fresh ingredients if you want to get the most out of your cooking. Use fresh foods any time you can, as they bring out the best flavor of the dish, and can be real money-savers too.
To have especially flavor rich foods, produce your own stock. Extra stock can be stored in the freezer and used later. By doing this, you’ll always have great tasting homemade stock when you desire to create soups or other types of dishes. When you prepare your stock from scratch, you will be certain that it is 100% natural, not loaded with preservatives.
Educate yourself on the potential of colors in your meal preparation. Eating meals that have multiple colors is very healthy for you, and it looks more appetizing as well. You can choose colorful garnishments for your meals, like raw cherry tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, or carrot curls. Be creative with color, and people will eat the food in no time.
The more meals you know how to cook, the better the quality of your life. As these tips prove, cooking can brighten your life if you like haute cuisine, down-home cooking or soul food. So while your natural inclination may be to order a pizza, you’ll be a lot better off if you use these tips to prepare home-cooked meals for you and your loved ones.